Fanelli, et al., "Restenosis Following Coronary Angioplasty," American Heart Journal, 119, 357-368 (1990), provides a comprehensive review of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), including (i) the mechanisms of angioplasty and restenosis, (ii) clinical aspects of restenosis, (iii) therapeutic trials aimed at decreasing the incidence of restenosis, (iv) management of patients with restenosis and (v) potential future technologies. As reported by Fanelli, et al., the use of PTCA has grown tremendously from a level of approximately 39,000 procedures in 1983 to a number that could exceed 500,000 per year over the next 5 years. Yet despite the tremendous growth and success of PTCA, restenosis remains a major problem, with an overall incidence of 25% to 35%.
Various pharmacologic approaches to prevent restenosis have been tried but, to date, none of them has been demonstrated to significantly alter the rate of restenosis. This has led investigators to attempt non-pharmacological approaches (e.g., intravascular stents, laser ballon angioplasty, etc.). These attempts at preventing restenosis have likewise proved unsuccessful according to Fanelli, et al.
In view of the above there exists a long felt but unsolved need for a technique to prevent or at least inhibit restenosis following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.